Performing autocomplete of content

Abstract

Performing autocomplete of content is disclosed, including: generating a status lock configured to control sending requests to a server; generating a first suggestion request that includes a user input character; in response to an indication that the status lock is available, acquiring the status lock for the first suggestion request and sending the first suggestion request to the server; and in response to receipt of suggested content corresponding to the character from the server, releasing the status lock.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to People's Republic of China Patent Application No. 201210132852.7 entitled A METHOD, DEVICE AND SERVER FOR AUTOCOMPLETE CONTENT ENTRY IN HANDHELD EQUIPMENT, filed Apr. 28, 2012 which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present application relates to network technology. In particular, it relates to techniques for autocomplete of content.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Mobile devices can provide users with network services via the Internet. Sometimes, when a user conducts searches or queries via an Internet application (e.g., a search engine) on a mobile device, an autocomplete function associated with the mobile device generates suggestion requests based on the user input characters and sends them to a server. After receiving a suggestion request, the server will send back suggested content related to the entered characters. For example, a suggestion box may...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a technique for controlling when a suggestion request is sent to a server using a status lock. This allows for receiving suggestion information from the server in the same order that characters are input by the user. Other suggestion requests cannot acquire the status lock and therefore cannot be sent to the server until the server has sent back the suggested content for the first suggestion request that has acquired the status lock. The technique facilitates receiving suggestion information from the server corresponding to the sequence that characters are input by the user.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the rate at which a user may input characters into an application on the mobile device may outpace the rate at which the mobile device is able to send and receive data with the server, which can cause a delay in the return of suggested content to the mobile device.

Such behavior may lead to a disorganization of suggested content and an overall poor user experience.

However, assume that the network signal detected by the mobile device is weak—for example, the user is on a train, and the train is passing through a tunnel so that the signal detected by the mobile device is obstructed by the tunnel.

Because at this time, the user is still on the train that is in a tunnel, the network signal is weak and so the suggestion request is either not sent to the server or that the suggested content sent by the server cannot be received at the mobile device.

As such, the possibility of poor network signal may disturb the manner in which autocomplete functions and cause the wrong suggested content to be sent from the server.

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